Sunday, November 28, 2004

The Notre Dame game was amazing. Yesterday was tiring, but good.

* Got up at 6 to pick up my parents and take them out to breakfast. (I love the Grinder. Why don't I eat there more often?)* Said goodbye - they left on the nice 1500 mile drive back to Texas at around 7:30. * Went to the grocery store and stocked up on goodies.* Baked and cooked for 3 hours at Michelle's house.* Met PIRC-y peeps and created the best tailgate EVER in the center of campus. The menu was amazing; Arash brought the marinated flank steaks (for steak sandwiches!), hot dogs, and a couple of T-bone steaks. Jonathan donated the Heineken, the Kirin Ichiban, and Smirnov Ice. My culinary efforts produced a spinach and artichoke pasta salad, "deviled" potato salad, 7 layer bean dip, Hello Dolly cookie bars, brownies, sugar cookies... and we can't forget the Dos Equis with limes and leftover Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry! Everything screamed classy - I venture to say we had one of the best (homemade) tailgates in our area. None of that Miller Lite shite for us! But the company was even better - Arash, Tania, Jonathan, Matt, and Alex made up the PIRC-y side while Rachel, Chris Norton, and Jason comprised my "current resident" attendance. I'm putting the pictures online at my Imagestation.* USC dominates. It rains. I take lots of pictures.

Good times. Good times. BTW, the pizza place next to Penguin's in Westwood is SUPER-sketch. Mob affiliations. It must be. However, the pizza is damn good. I'll deal with the mafia for a slice of pie like that.

:: posted by Jennifer N. 9:15 AM

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Vandalism sucks. So do freshmen boys, for the most part. (Cinema floor's an exception!)

But Lauren gave me a picture from Halloween. I was an angel.

Stressed. And hopefully I can see my parents this weekend. They're possibly delaying the drive.

:: posted by Jennifer N. 2:33 AM

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

I went to my first football game as a spectator on Saturday. It was simultaneously fabulous and horrible. I drank a beer, but I couldn't go on the field and perform. It was hard.

As I walked to APO boards with Mike Gangl, I encountered the rush of the marching band as they left the practice field. It was 6pm. A few people shouted their hellos. Jovan told me to "do a gig." Many waved and smiled at me.

And then, I found this.

In a half-finished journal, I wrote an entry for September 1, 2001. I remember this day clearly; it was the first football game of my freshman year.

September 1st, 2001

11:58...
the day is almost over.
September 1st is gone forever.
September 2nd approaches.

The distant roar of the crowds;
the exhilarating rush of performance;
the cool sweetness of water on the lips;
the stifling heat rising from the field;
With the 2nd, these experiences ...
are lost? ...
forgotten?...
or perhaps...
SAFE in the recesses of my heart.

It's now 12:02.

Soon, we shall see.

I never claimed it was great, but it brought back my joy for an activity. I had lost that; bitterness and hurt clouded many of my good memories. Yeah. I loved it. And I still love it, in a different way. I wish that things were different, but they aren't. So, I've got to take what I have/had and embrace it.

:: posted by Jennifer N. 10:08 PM

Monday, November 15, 2004

I just wanted to share a fun picture of the New Res College staff at the Hindu Student Organization's Diwali Banquet. It was a super fun time... and Arun and Vidya were amazing. They performed a traditional Indian dance; it was beautifully executed, the costumes were fabulous, and I was just smiling the entire time they were onstage. I have the biggest crushes on the two of them, and they know. My friends are so talented!

I went in traditional Indian garb. Nitin said I looked like a British colonist who goes around wearing the clothes of the oppressed native people. I told him he was dumb. I love that I have that kind of relationship with him.

Also, I want to share a picture from Spirits @ Troy, the Halloween celebration (debacle?!) of the residential hall. I was out in the hallway socializing after the event, and I came in to discover THIS:

Yes girls, you can be jealous. That's the one and only Legolas... IN MY BED. I'm lucky, I know.

Have I ever mentioned that the Cinema Floor is crazy? In a good way, of course.

:: posted by Jennifer N. 10:12 AM

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

I haven't touched this blogger in a long time. It's the beginning of November. A lot has happened in the past few months of my senior year.

Recap of my personal life:

I turned 21. I had the best birthday party a girl could ask for; everyone that I invited... could come! Thanks to Yael, Vidya, Jessica, Vallery, Amy, Jill, Samantha, Nicole, Kari, and Ebonee for making my birthday fabulous. Champagne, anyone?

My parents are amazing. They've lost 30 pounds, they love and support me despite all of the stupid things that I do, and I feel so honored to have them in my life. And can we mention the best birthday gift(s) ever? That 27" LCD TV, the DVD-Recorder, the cushion covers, the skirt... and soon, a new (to me) vehicle with an amazing sound system! I'm such a spoiled only child - now, as soon as we start talking Infiniti G35 coupe, all will be complete.

I decided to take a gap year inbetween undergraduate and law school. I'm trying to find things to do during this time. Job... teaching... study abroad... I'm open to suggestions.

APO is fun, despite the fact that no one wants to give the historian any help (ie, me.) I love volunteering; the service projects make everything worthwhile.

I made several new friends this year: Arun, Vidya, Kari, Ebonee, and Vallery.

I reconnected with a couple of old friends this year: Nicole, Yasmin, Jill, Michelle, Alex.

I broke my tailbone, forcing me to quit the Marching Band. It's been the best decision I've ever made. I got a lot out of the TMB; I made friends, I went on trips, I learned a new skill. But this year was different. With a change in leadership and attitude, I couldn't justify my time. And one fact remains: my back hurts... a lot.

Recap of my academic life:

My senior honors seminar for English makes me happy. I have a thesis topic! That I love! It involves food! and women! But I don't have an advisor yet.

French Modern Culture doesn't involve "modern" times. The craziness of this class makes me cringe every Tuesday and Thursday. I spend most of my time on reading, yet I never quite catch up. I think the fact that I can barely speak French hinders my progress.

I really like Rollo's medieval literature class, despite the fact that much of it repeats from his "Women in English Literature before 1600" class. I can't wait to hear his amusing comments about Margery Kempe - I laugh. A lot.

CTCS 466 is the greatest class known to mankind! (I exaggerate slightly, but it's definitely in my top five classes at USC.) I know half the people in the class, I sit with two of my favorite boys every class period... and I get to see movies before they open in the theaters. How cool is that?

Recap of residential life:

I love the Cinema Floor and my residents. They're just as crazy as me... or more so! I spend so much of my time watching movies, going out on the town, or hanging with my floor. Freshmen have this uncanny ability to be idiots, but I still learn so much from them.

My staff is amazing; while I miss Parkside and my old residents, I love my New staff team a lot. The honeymoon period isn't over yet, despite a few difficulties.

John, the other Cinema Floor RA, works extremely hard; we make a good team for these residents. I'm the frantic, "we must get things done!" RA while John's mellow approach to life makes him a fabulous counselor and friend. I think the residents respect us both.

Both Alex and Michelle are amazing mentors in this field. Despite the fact that I don't work with Michelle on a daily basis, I still ask her for help, advice, and counsel.

I still talk to many of my old residents - however, I miss the ones that I don't see on a regular basis. Nothing can replace the fabulousness of 4th Floor PIRC South, 03-04.

Did I mention that the Cinema Floor is crazy?

It's been a hard and strange year. A bittersweet flavor tinges every happy moment. I'm leaving Los Angeles and USC in May. Consequently, I'm trying to hold onto every small detail.